PC Fancy Smith (Character) PC Fancy Smith (Character) from "Z Cars" (1962) The content of this page was created by users. It has not been screened or verified by IMDb staff. Overview 'Big' Brian Blessed played the part of 'Fancy Smith'... See more » Alternate Names: P.C. Fancy Smith / P.C. Smith / PC 'Fancy' Smith / PC Smith Filmography PC Weir : [Smith and Weir have just forcefully caught Elena who has been squatting in an unoccupied house] What's you name? Elena Collins : Popular with the girls you two, are you - knocking them about and that? PC Smith : Hey - come off it. Elena Collins : Well they go for it don't they - bit of a punch up - fancy that, some of them.

TV Shows We Used To Watch - Z-Cars 1962-78 | Z-Cars or Z Car… | Flickr Paul Townsend By: Paul Townsend TV Shows We Used To Watch - Z-Cars 1962-78 Z-Cars or Z Cars was a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978. The series differed sharply from earlier police procedurals. With its less-usual Northern setting, it injected a new element of harsh realism into the image of the police, which some found unwelcome. Z-Cars ran for a total of 803 episodes, of which less than half have survived. Regular stars included Stratford Johns (Detective Inspector Barlow), Frank Windsor (Det. Sgt Watt), James Ellis (Bert Lynch) and Brian Blessed ("Fancy" Smith). Barlow and Watt were later spun into a separate series Softly, Softly. The name Z-Cars relates to an imaginary ‘Z’ Division of the local constabulary.

The theme tune was based on a traditional Liverpool folk song, and was adopted by Everton Football Club as its official anthem. The title, contrary to popular belief, does not come from the cars used, as in Ford Zephyr and Ford Zodiac. In fact, the Zodiac was never used by British police, whereas the Zephyr was the standard patrol traffic car (not the same as "crime car") used by Lancashire and other police forces. The term comes from the radio call signs allocated by Lancashire Constabulary; Lancashire police divisions were lettered from north to the south, "A" Division (based in Ulverston) was the detached part of Lancashire at the time around Barrow-in-Furness, "B" Division was Lancaster, and so on. Letters further into the alphabet were in the south around the Manchester and Liverpool areas. The TV series took the non-existent signs Z-Victor 1 and Z-Victor 2. The stories revolve around pairs of officers patrolling that week. Riding on changing social attitudes and television, the social realism, with interesting stories, garnered popularity. It was initially less popular with real-life police, who disliked the sometimes unsympathetic characterisation of officers.

Being set in the North of England helped give it a regional flavour when most BBC dramas were set in the south. The one character present throughout the entire run was Bert Lynch, played by James Ellis (though John Phillips as Det. Chief Supt. Robins would reappear sporadically during the show's run – by the end of the series he had become Chief Constable). Other characters in the early days were Stratford Johns (Inspector Barlow), Frank Windsor (Det. Sgt Watt), Robert Keegan (Sgt Blackitt), Joseph Brady (PC "Jock" Weir) and Brian Blessed ("Fancy" Smith). Also in 1960s episodes as David Graham was Colin Welland later a screenwriter. Other British actors who played regular roles in the early years included Joss Ackland. Although he played no regular role in the series, future Monkee Davy Jones appeared in three episodes. The original run ended in 1965; Barlow, Watt and Blackitt were spun off into a new series Softly, Softly. It was revived in March 1967 with only James Ellis and Joseph Brady from the original show.

The revival was produced by the serials department of the BBC in a twice-weekly soap opera format of 25-minute episodes. It ran until April 1971 (in colour from early 1970), then returned to a regular season pattern of 50-minute episodes for its final years. The spin-off, Softly, Softly focused on the regional crime squad, and ran until 1969, when it was again revised and became Softly, Softly: Taskforce, running until 1976. The character of Barlow (Stratford Johns) was one of the best-known figures in British television in the 1960s and 1970s, and was given several seasons of his own "solo" series, Barlow at Large (later just Barlow) between 1971–75. He also joined Watt (Frank Windsor) to re-investigate the Jack the Ripper murders for a six-part series in 1973. This led to another spin-off, Second Verdict in which Barlow and Watt looked into unsolved cases and unsafe convictions.

Frank Windsor made a final appearance as Watt in the last episode of Z-Cars, "Pressure", in September 1978, with Robins (John Phillips), the Detective Chief Superintendent from the original series who had risen to chief constable. Jeremy Kemp, Brian Blessed, Joseph Brady and Colin Welland also made guest appearances in the episode, but not as their original characters. (1962–1965 & 1967–1978 / 12 Series / 803 episodes) DCI Charlie Barlow – Stratford Johns (1962–1965 / Series 1–5 / 126 episodes) DS John Watt – Frank Windsor (1962–1965, 1978 / Series 1–5, 12 / 130 episodes) PC "Jock" Weir – Joseph Brady (1962–1965, 1967-1968 / Series 1–6 / 165 episodes) PC/DC/Sgt./Insp.

Bert Lynch – James Ellis (1962–1965, 1967–1978 / Series 1–12 / 565 episodes) PC "Fancy" Smith – Brian Blessed (1962–1965 / Series 1–5 / 113 episodes) PC Bob Steele – Jeremy Kemp (1962-1963 / Series 1–2 / 34 episodes) Sgt. Percy Twentyman – Leonard Williams (1962 / Series 1–2 / 30 episodes) PC Ian Sweet – Terence Edmond (1962–1964 / Series 1–3 / 78 episodes) DC Glyn Hicks – Michael Forrest (1962–1964 / Series 2–3 / 36 episodes) PC David Graham – Colin Welland (1962–1965, / Series 2–5 / 85 episodes) Sgt.

Bob Blackitt – Robert Keegan (1962–1965 / Series 2–5 / 108 episodes) PC Ken Baker – Geoffrey Whitehead (1964–1965 / Series 4 / 29 episodes) PC Taylor – Marcus Hammond (1964-1965 / Series 4 / 20 episodes) Paula Poulton (BD Girl) – Sara Aimson (1965 / Series 4–5 / 23 episodes) PC Ray Walker - Donald Gee (1965 / Series 4–5 / 18 episodes) DI/DCI Sam Hudson – John Barrie (1967, 1968 / Series 6 / 32 episodes) DS Tom Stone – John Slater (1967-1974 / Series 6–9 / 431 episodes) PC Owen Culshaw – David Daker (1967–1968 / Series 6 / 82 episodes) PC Steve Tate – Sebastian Breaks (1967 / Series 6 / 34 episodes) PC Alec May – Stephen Yardley (1967

–1968 / Series 6 / 68 episodes) WPC Parkin – Pauline Taylor (1967–1969 / Series 6 / 58 episodes) PC Bill Newcombe – Bernard Holley (1967–1971 / Series 6 / 292 episodes) BD Girl – Jennie Goossens (1967–1971 / Series 6–7 / 146 episodes) DI Todd – Joss Ackland (1967–1968 / Series 6 / 40 episodes) PC Jackson – John Wreford (1967–1968 / Series 6 / 32 episodes) DI Alan Witty – John Woodvine (1968–1969 / Series 6 / 62 episodes) PC Doug Roach – Ron Davies (1968–1969 / Series 6 / 60 episodes) PC Bruce Bannerman – Paul Angelis (1968–1969 / Series 6 / 128 episodes) PC/Sgt.

Alec Quilley – Douglas Fielding (1969–1978 / Series 6–12 / 345 episodes) DI/Mr. Neil Goss – Derek Waring (1969–1973 / Series 6–8 / 226 episodes) PC/DC Joe Skinner – Ian Cullen (1969–1975 / Series 6–9 / 222 episodes) PC Reg Horrocks – Barry Lowe (1970–1975, 1977 / Series 6–9, 11 / 29 episodes) PC/Sgt.

Bowman – John Swindells (1970–1973 / Series 6–7 / 40 episodes) DS Cecil Haggar – John Collin (1971–1976, 1978 / Series 6–7, 9–10,12 / 51 episodes) DC Dave Scatliff – Geoffrey Hayes (1971–1974 / Series 6–8 / 27 episodes) PC Shaun Covill – Jack Carr (1971–1972 / Series 6–7 / 39 episodes) PC Fred Render – Allan O'Keefe (1971–1978 / Series 6–12 / 65 episodes) DS/DI Terry Moffat – Ray Lonnen (1972–1977 / Series 7–11 / 25 episodes) DS Wilf Miller – Geoffrey Whitehead (1972–1975 / Series 6–9 / 22 episodes) DC Jim Braithwaite – David Jackson (1972–1978 / Series 7–12 / 

22 episodes) Sgt.

Gilbert Chubb – Paul Stewart (1974–1978 / Series 9–12 / 25 episodes) DC/DS Bernard Bowker - Brian Grellis (1974–1978 / Series 9–12 / 19 episodes) Dorothy White – Janey Steele (1962–1963 / Series 1–2 / 14 episodes) Frank Hawkins - Sgt/Insp Barnes (1962–63 / 20 episodes) John Phillips – DCS/ACC/Chief Con.

Robins (1962–1965, 1967, 1969, 1973, 1978 / Series 1–4, 6–7, 12 / 14 episodes) Virginia Stride – Katy Hoskins (BD Girl) (1962–1964 / Series 1–3 / 18 episodes) Lynne Furlong - WPC Jenny Stacey (1962–1965 / Series 1–4 / 24 episodes) Ken Jones – DC Bob "Lofty" Smithers – Police Photographer (1962–64 / / Series 1-3 / 8 episodes) Dudley Foster – DI/Supt.

Dunn (1962, 1964 / Series 1, 3 / 13 episodes) Leslie Sands – DCS Miller (1962–63, 1965, 1967, 1969 / Series 1–4, 6 / 12 episodes) Diane Aubrey - Sally Clarkson (BD Girl) (1962 / Series 1–2 / 24 episodes) James Cossins – Sgt.

Michaelson (1962–1963 / Series 2 / 11 episodes) Hilary Martyn – Joan Longton (BD Girl) (1962–1963 / Series 2 / 13 episodes) Leonard Rossiter – DI Bamber (1963 / Series 2 / 8 episodes) Sidonie Bond – Betty Clayton (BD Girl) (1963 / Series 2 / 16 episodes) John Thaw – DC Elliot (1963 / Series 3 / 4 episodes) Kate Brown – Shirley Burscough (BD Girl) (1963 / Series 3 / 16 episodes) Kate Allitt – Pamela Earnshaw (BD Girl) (1964 / Series 3 / 12 episodes) Lynn Farleigh – Ann Fazakerley (BD Girl) (1964 / Series 3–4 / 17 episodes) Susan Jameson – WPC Nelson (1965,1975 / Series 4,9 / 6 episodes) Donald Webster – PC Foster (1965 / Series 4 / 8 episodes) Luanshya Greer

 – WPC Jane Shepherd (1967 / Series 6 / 6 episodes) Anjula Harman – BD Girl (1967, 1969 / Series 6 / 15 episodes) Christopher Coll – DC Kane (1967–1968 / Series 6 / 20 episodes) Doreen Aris – Betty Culshaw (1967–1968 / Series 6 / 8 episodes) George Sewell – DI Brogan (1967 / Series 6 / 6 episodes) Thelma Whiteley – Sally Stone (1967, 1969–1970 / Series 6 / 8 episodes) Victor Brooks – Sgt.

Potter (1968–1969 / Series 6 / 10 episodes) William Dexter – D Supt. Oakley (1968–1971 / Series 6 / 6 episodes) John Livesey – PC Stack (1969 / Series 6 / 13 episodes) June Watson – WPC/WP Sgt. Lorna Cameron (1970, 1973–1975 / Series 6, 8–9 / 8 episodes) Jerome Willis – Supt./D Supt. Roy Richards (1971–1973 / Series 6–7 / 4 episodes) Stephanie Turner – WPC Anne Howarth (1971–1975 / Series 6–9 / 15 episodes) James Walsh – PC Lindsay (1971–1974 / Series 7–9 / 10 episodes) John Challis – Sgt.

Frank Culshaw (1972–1975 / Series 7–9 / 13 episodes) Gary Watson – DI Fred Connor (1972–1974 / Series 7–8 / 11 episodes) Nicholas Smith – PC Jeff Yates (1972–1975 / Series 7–9 / 9 episodes) Kenton Moore – Insp./CI Logie (1972–1974 / Series 7–8 / 4 episodes) Tommy Boyle – DI Gerry Madden (1978 / Series 12 / 8 episodes) Victoria Plucknett – WPC Jane Beck (1978 / Series 12 / 3 episodes) Done Z Cars DVD box set launch: 9 fascinating facts about Merseyside cop show - Liverpool Echo Z Cars DVD box set launch: 9 fascinating facts about Merseyside cop show Hit TV show from 60s and 70s comes to DVD for the first time Share Screen shot of Z Cars, which is released on DVD box set on 26 October Share Get What's On updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing!

Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Every decade has its own kind of cop show, and in the 1960s and early 70s, following years of national love and acclaim for Dixon of Dock Green , it came time for a new breed of policeman to take to the screen. Set in Newtown, a fictional setting to the North of Liverpool, it captures a time when coppers were leaving the beat for fast-paced response vehicles – the Z-Cars of the title. In the British Film Institute’s 2000 poll of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes, Z Cars came 63 and the show is still remembered fondly on Merseyside where it was set and especially at Goodison Park where the Everton players still run out to its rousing theme tune. Many of the original shows have been lost but October 26 sees the release on DVD for the first time of a number of episodes from 1972 which capture some of the characters and crimes that shaped the long-ago decade of old-school policing.

Screen shot of Z Cars, which is released on DVD box set on 26 October To celebrate the revival of a landmark Liverpool TV show, here are nine fascinating facts about the show. So sit back and buckle-up as we let the criminal underworld of Newtown know that Z-Cars are on the way. 1. Z Cars was inspired by a Liverpool policeman One inspiration for the show was the memoirs of ex Detective Sergeant Bill Prendegrast of the Liverpool City Police. Bill contributed various stories to the show based upon cases he had been involved in his 32 years with the force. 2. The show was set in Kirkby and Seaforth Z Cars’ creator, Troy Kennedy Martin, was intrigued how police would deal with the newly developed overspill estates that had sprung up after World War II. The fictional Newtown was loosely based on Kirkby while Newtown’s neighbouring suburb of Seaport was Seaforth. 3. Z Cars was not well received by the police Lancashire Police had helped the show’s writers research their ideas and offered advice on police procedure. That help quickly ended when Chief Constable Colonel T E St Johnston saw a preview of the first ever episode.

The Colonel tried to persuade both the BBC and the Home Office to cut the show, feeling it depicted his officers in a negative light. 4. It was an instant hit The public loved the show’s gritty look and viewing figures soon exceeded 14 million. The BBC quickly extended the show’s initial 13 week run to 31 episodes with many of the shows broadcast live. 5. Brian Blessed was an original cast member Long before he was shouting “Gordon’s alive!” a clean shaven Brian Blessed appeared in the show as PC Fancy Smith from 1962-65. 6. Z Cars was a breeding ground for stars Appearing alongside Brian were Colin Welland who went on to win an Oscar for his script for Chariots of Fire. Other big names who had early roles were John Thaw, Joss Ackland and Judi Dench. Future Monkee Davy Jones also appeared in three episodes. Screen shot of Z Cars, which is released on DVD box set on 26 October 7. Everton quickly adopted the Z Cars theme tune It’s commonly thought that Z Cars first rang out at Goodison during the title-winning 1962-63 season just months after the show first aired.

Originally a traditional Liverpool folk song called Johnny Todd, which tells the story of a sailor betrayed by his lover while away at sea, the tune was re-arranged by Fritz Spiegl, performed by John Keating and his Orchestra, released as a single and reached number 5 on the UK singles chart in April 1962. The tune is also heard at Vicarage Road where Watford run out to its famous intro. 8. Bert Lynch became Z Car’s longest running character Played by James Ellis, Bert Lynch lasted the show’s entire run of 803 episodes by which time he had become Chief Constable. Ellis died in 2014, aged 82. 9. The hunt is on for missing episodes Of the 416 episodes made between 1967-71 only 108 survive with none at all from 1968 or 1971. Only 40% of the whole series is preserved with this latest DVD box set marking the first time these rare episodes have been released. Z Cars Collection One and Two is available to order from Acorn DVD .

Like us on Facebook Z-Cars - 必应 Sign in Z-Cars Z-Cars or Z Cars /ˈzɛd ˌkɑrz/ was a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, Merseyside. Produced by the BBC , it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978. The series differed sharply from earlier police procedurals. With its less-usual Northern setting, it injected a new element of harsh realism into the image of the police, which some found unwelcome. Z-Cars ran for a total of 803 episodes, of which fewer than half have survived. Regular st ... (展开) ars included Stratford Johns (Detective Inspector Barlow), Frank Windsor (Det. Sgt Watt), James Ellis (Bert Lynch) and Brian Blessed ("Fancy" Smith). Barlow and Watt were later spun into a separate series Softly, Softly. The name Z-Cars relates to an imaginary "Z" Division of the local constabulary.

The theme tune was based on a traditional Liverpool folk song, and was adopted by Everton Football Club as its official anthem. Z-Cars是个什么车？英国好像有同名电视剧？ 答 England是很老的电视剧了哦 哈哈做好心理准备" Color (1970-1978) Filming Locations; Drama Runtime:English Color:2 January 1962 (UK) Genre; 50 min (337 episodes) Country:UK __... Z-Cars Origin of the title The title comes from the radio call signs allocated by Lancashire Constabulary: Lancashire police divisions were lettered from north to the south, "A" Division (based in Ulverston) was the detached part of Lancashire at the time around Barrow-in-Furness, "B" Division was Lancaster, and so on. Letters further into the alphabet were in the south around the Manchester and Liverpool areas. The TV series took the non-existent signs Z-Victor 1 and Z-Victor 2. The title does not come from the cars used, as in Ford Zephyr and Ford Zodiac.

The Zodiac was never used by British police as a standard patrol car, but was used in the form of "Motorway Patrol Vehicles", because of its larger, more powerful engine. These vehicles could be seen in a white livery with "POLICE" in large blue letters on the sides of the vehicle, along with broad red-orange stripes. Such vehicles were later used as "crime cars", used to respond to major crimes. Some of them also carried a "lock-box" that contained firearms to be used by "Armed Response Teams", especially in response to armed robberies and terrorist incidents of the seventies. The Zephyr was the standard patrol traffic car (not the same as "crime car") used by Lancashire and other police forces. Z-Cars Concept and principal characters 'Z Cars' as an idea came to Troy Kennedy Martin listened to police messages on his radio when trying to relieve the boredom of being ill in bed with mumps. The creation of rapidly-expanding, artificially-created communities in the years after World War II ended brought with them many problems. Liverpool suffered much damage in the war and Liverpool Corporation, having many slums to contend with, bought land in the surrounding areas into which they moved industry.

With the people were relocated en masse into newly developed "overspill" estates, the area became the new town of Kirkby. Kennedy Martin set his programme in the fictional Newtown, loosely based on Kirkby, one of many housing estates that had sprung up across Britain in the post-war years, and which was a modern suburb of the neighbouring (and ageing) "Seaport". The stories revolve around pairs of officers patrolling that week. Riding on changing social attitudes and television, the social realism, with interesting stories, garnered popularity for Z Cars. It was initially less popular with real-life police, who disliked the sometimes unsympathetic characterisation of officers. Being set in the North of England helped give Z Cars a regional flavour when most BBC dramas were set in the south. It directly challenged the BBC's popular police drama Dixon of Dock Green, which at that point had been running for seven years but which some viewed as 'cosy'. The one character present throughout the entire run (though not in every episode) was Bert Lynch, played by James Ellis (though John Phillips as Det. Chief Supt. Robins would reappear sporadically during the show's run – by the end of the series he had become Chief Constable).

Other characters in the early days were Stratford Johns (Inspector Barlow), Frank Windsor (Det. Sgt Watt), Robert Keegan (Sgt Blackitt), Joseph Brady (PC "Jock" Weir) and Brian Blessed ("Fancy" Smith). Also in 1960s episodes as David Graham was Colin Welland later a screenwriter. Other British actors who played regular roles in the early years included Joss Ackland. Although he played no regular role in the series, future Monkee Davy Jones appeared in three episodes.[vague] Z-Cars Episodes Z-Cars ran for 803 episodes. The original run ended in 1965; Barlow, Watt and Blackitt were spun off into a new series Softly, Softly. When the BBC was looking for a twice-weekly show to replace a series of failed 'soaps' (one example being United!, Z Cars was revived. The revival was produced by the BBC's serials department in a twice-weekly soap opera format of 25-minute episodes and only James Ellis and Joseph Brady remained from the original show's run. It was shown from March 1967, both 25-minute segments each week comprising one story.

It ran like this until the episode "Kid's Stuff" (broadcast on 30 March 1971), shown as a single 50-minute episode for the week, proved the longer format would still work. Thereafter, Z Cars was shown in alternating spells of either 2 x 25 minutes episodes or the single 50-minute episode each week over the next sixteen months. This arrangement ended with the showing of the final 2-parter, "Breakage" (Series 6, Parts 74 & 75, 21 & 22 August 1972 respectively), after which the series returned permanently to a regular pattern of 1 x 50-minute episodes per week. Z-Cars Theme music The Z-Cars theme tune was arranged by Fritz Spiegl and his then-wife, composer Bridget Fry from the traditional Liverpool folk song "Johnny Todd". (Many sources credit Spiegl only, and some Fry only, but some of the end-of-programme credits listed them both.)[clarification needed] It was released on record in several versions in 1962.

Johnny Keating's version (Piccadilly Records, 7N.35032) sold the best, reaching #8 on the Record Retailer chart and as high as #5 on some UK charts, whilst the Norrie Paramor Orchestra's version, on Columbia DB 4789, peaked at #33. A vocal version of the theme, using the original ballad's words, was released by cast member James Ellis on Philips Records; this missed the charts. The song in Spiegl and Fry's arrangement is also used as the anthem for English football club Everton and is played at every home match as they walk onto the pitch at Goodison Park. It is also occasionally used by their local rivals Tranmere Rovers for their home games at Prenton Park stadium, on the other side of the Mersey. The tune is also used as the march-on anthem at Watford F.C. home games. After Z-Cars The spin-off Softly, Softly focused on the regional crime squad, and ran until 1969, when it was again revised and became Softly, Softly: Taskforce, running until 1976.

The character of Barlow (Stratford Johns) was one of the best-known figures in British television in the 1960s and 1970s, and was given several seasons of his own "solo" series, Barlow at Large (later just Barlow) between 1971–75. He also joined Watt (Frank Windsor) to re-investigate the Jack the Ripper murders for a six-part series in 1973. This led to another spin-off, Second Verdict in which Barlow and Watt looked into unsolved cases and unsafe convictions. Frank Windsor made a final appearance as Watt in the last episode of Z-Cars, "Pressure", in September 1978, with Robins (John Phillips), the Detective Chief Superintendent from the original series who had risen to chief constable. Jeremy Kemp, Brian Blessed, Joseph Brady and Colin Welland also made guest appearances in the episode, but not as their original characters. Z-Cars Lost episodes Z-Cars is incomplete in the archives. The period 1962–65 is reasonably well represented, though with big gaps.

With the 1967–71 sixth series, when the programme was shown almost every week, material becomes more patchy. Of the 416 episodes made for this series, only 108 survive: a few episodes each from 1967, 1969, and 1970, but there are no surviving episodes at all from either 1968 or 1971. About forty percent of the approximately eight hundred total episodes are preserved. The original series was one of the last British television dramas to be screened as a live production. With videotaping becoming the norm and telerecording a mature method of preserving broadcasts the practice of live broadcasting drama productions was rare by the time the programme began in 1962. Going out "live" was a preference of the series' producer David Rose, who felt it helped immediacy and pace and gave it an "edge". As a result episodes were still not being pre-recorded as late as 1965. Most were videotaped for a repeat, although the tapes – often a large part of a programmes' budget – were normally wiped for re-use, once the episodes were telerecorded.

Existing on film greatly enhanced the chances of the episodes surviving, especially when monochrome programmes (whether on expensive videotape or cheaper film) were relegated in importance by the advent of colour broadcasting in the UK.[better source needed] The telerecording of the first-ever episode was returned to writer Allan Prior in the 1980s by an engineer who had taken it home to preserve it because his children had enjoyed the programme and he could not bring himself to destroy it. This with two other early editions were released on BBC Video in 1993. Two episodes were returned in 2004 after turning up in a private collection. Colour episodes from the early 1970s are less likely to be recovered, as they were never telerecorded for export.[better source needed] BBC Archive Treasure Hunt is currently seeking missing episodes. All episodes from the 1975–1978 period are preserved in the archives. Z-Cars References ^ "UK Police Force callsigns". The Alliance of British Drivers. Retrieved 27 November 2015.

^ "Troy Kennedy Martin: Innovative writer who created 'Z Cars' and wrote 'Edge of Darkness' and 'The Italian Job'". The Independent (London). 17 September 2009. ^ Leishman, Frank; Mason, Paul (2003). Policing and the Media: Facts, Fictions and Factions (Policing & Society). p.56. ISBN1903240298. ^ Rolinson, David. "Dixon of Dock Green in the 1970s". British Television Drama. Retrieved 27 November 2015. ^ "Z Cars". TV.com. Retrieved 27 November 2015. ^ a b Barker, Dennis (25 March 2003). "Fritz Spiegl: Witty musical polymath and broadcaster". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 22 April 2012. ^ "James Ellis (6) – Johnny Todd". Discogs. Retrieved 27 November 2015. ^ "Everton's Origins: Z-Cars Theme". ToffeeWeb. Retrieved 22 April 2012.

^ "Chairman on Z-Cars return". Watford Football Club. 23 April 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2012. ^ Richard Down and Christopher Perry, The British Television Drama Research Guide, 1950–1997, with Full Archive Holdings, second revised edition (Bristol: Kaleidoscope Publishing, 1997): DZ1–DZ5. ISBN 1-900203-04-9. ^ a b Wiping ^ ^ "The BFI TV 100: 1-100". BFI. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011. See also: 100 Greatest British Television Programmes ^ Alison Graham, "Take the Big TV Challenge!" Radio Times (30 August–5 September 2003), 16–21. Citation on p. 21.

BFI Screenonline: Z Cars (1962-78) Z Cars (1962-78) 800 x 25/45/50 mins, black & white/colour Kenneth Loach Cast: Stratford Johns (Det Chief Insp Barlow); Frank Windsor (Det Chief Supt/Det Sgt Watt); Brian Blessed (PC Fancy Smith); James Ellis (Sgt/Insp Lynch); Joseph Brady (PC Jock Weir); Colin Welland (PC David Graham); Jeremy Kemp (PC Bob Steele) By 1962, the once innovative Dixon of Dock Green (BBC, 1955-76) had settled into a cosy predictability, its avuncular hero inhabiting a world of low-level criminality, of gentlemen thieves and wayward youths, easily solved crimes to be followed by a nice cup of tea and Dixon's reassuring homily. Writer Troy Kennedy Martin , for one, was convinced that the police drama badly needed an injection of energy and bite. The result was Z Cars (BBC, 1962-78).

Set in the fictional Northern overspill town of Newtown and its neighbour Seaport, Z Cars took the genre into new territory, with a variety of more complex characters in place of a single spotless hero - the first episode portrayed one officer as a compulsive gambler, another as a wifebeater - and an assortment of lowlife villains - muggers, small-time gangsters, corrupt landlords, pimps - of the kind that would become a staple of TV cop shows. It was deliberately issue-driven, with storylines highlighting problems of poverty, racism, mental illness and addiction. Although the series was, in the convention of the time, mostly shot live in the studio, it featured an unusually high proportion of filmed inserts, lending it a more convincing appearance of 'reality' which hinted at the increasing incorporation of documentary elements into TV drama as the 1960s wore on. To the surprise of the BBC, the show was an instant hit, with audiences rising to 14 million before the end of its scheduled 13-week run, which was hastily extended to 31 episodes.

But fears that its popularity would stifle creativity and bring stagnation led Kennedy Martin Learn and talk about Z-Cars, 1960s British television series, 1962 British television programme debuts, 1970s British television series, 1978 British television programme endings Second Verdict Z-Cars or Z Cars /ˈzɛd ˌkɑːrz/ was a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby , Lancashire (now Merseyside ). Produced by the BBC , it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978. The series differed sharply from earlier police procedurals. With its less-usual Northern setting, it injected a new element of harsh realism into the image of the police, which some found unwelcome. Z-Cars ran for a total of 803 episodes, of which fewer than half have survived. Regular stars included Stratford Johns (Detective Inspector Barlow), Frank Windsor (Det. Sgt Watt), James Ellis (Bert Lynch) and Brian Blessed ("Fancy" Smith).

Barlow and Watt were later spun into a separate series Softly, Softly. The name Z-Cars relates to an imaginary "Z" Division of the local constabulary. The theme tune was based on a traditional Liverpool folk song, and was adopted by Everton Football Club as its official anthem. Contents 11 External links Origin of the title[ edit ] This section possibly contains original research . Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations . Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (January 2015) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) The title comes from the radio call signs allocated by Lancashire Constabulary: Lancashire police divisions were lettered from north to the south, "A" Division (based in Ulverston) was the detached part of Lancashire at the time around Barrow-in-Furness , "B" Division was Lancaster , and so on. Letters further into the alphabet were in the south around the Manchester and Liverpool areas. [1] The TV series took the non-existent signs Z-Victor 1 and Z-Victor 2. The title does not come from the cars used, as in Ford Zephyr and Ford Zodiac .

The Zodiac was never used by British police as a standard patrol car, but was used in the form of "Motorway Patrol Vehicles", because of its larger, more powerful engine. These vehicles could be seen in a white livery with "POLICE" in large blue letters on the sides of the vehicle, along with broad red-orange stripes. Such vehicles were later used as "crime cars", used to respond to major crimes. Some of them also carried a "lock-box" that contained firearms to be used by "Armed Response Teams", especially in response to armed robberies and terrorist incidents of the seventies. The Zephyr was the standard patrol traffic car (not the same as "crime car") used by Lancashire and other police forces. Concept and principal characters[ edit ] Z Cars as an idea came to creator Troy Kennedy Martin as he listened to police messages on his radio whilst trying to relieve the boredom of being ill in bed with mumps. [2] After the Second World War ended the creation of rapidly expanding, bureaucratically created communities brought with them many problems. Liverpool suffered much damage during the war and the Liverpool Corporation, having many slums to contend with, bought land in the surrounding areas into which they moved industry.

Along with these factories, many people were relocated en masse into newly developed "overspill" estates. One area became the new town of Kirkby . Kennedy Martin set his programme in the fictional Newtown, loosely based on the modern suburb of Kirkby, one of many housing estates that had sprung up across Britain in the post-war years, and its ageing neighbour "Seaport". [3] The stories revolve around pairs of officers patrolling that week. Riding on changing social attitudes and television, the social realism, with interesting stories, garnered popularity for Z Cars. It was initially somewhat unpopular with real-life police, who disliked the sometimes unsympathetic characterisation of officers. Being set in the North of England helped give Z Cars a regional flavour when most BBC dramas were set in the south. It directly challenged the BBC's popular police drama Dixon of Dock Green , which at that point had been running for seven years but which some considered 'cosy'. [4] The one character present throughout the entire run (though not in every episode) was Bert Lynch, played by James Ellis (though John Phillips as Det. Chief Supt.

Robins would reappear sporadically during the show's run – by the end of the series he had become Chief Constable ). Other characters in the early days were Stratford Johns (Inspector Barlow), Frank Windsor (Det. Sgt Watt), Robert Keegan (Sgt Blackitt), Joseph Brady (PC "Jock" Weir) and Brian Blessed ("Fancy" Smith). Also in 1960s episodes as David Graham was Colin Welland later a screenwriter. Other British actors who played regular roles in the early years included Joss Ackland . Although he played no regular role in the series, future Monkee Davy Jones appeared in three episodes.[ vague ] Episodes[ edit ] Z-Cars ran for 803 episodes. The original run ended in 1965; Barlow, Watt and Blackitt were spun off into a new series Softly, Softly . When the BBC was looking for a twice-weekly show to replace a series of failed 'soaps' (one example being United! ), Z Cars was revived.

The revival was produced by the BBC's serials department in a twice-weekly soap opera format of 25-minute episodes and only James Ellis and Joseph Brady remained from the original show's run. It was shown from March 1967, both 25-minute segments each week comprising one story. It ran like this until the episode "Kid's Stuff" (broadcast on 30 March 1971), shown as a single 50-minute episode for the week, proved the longer format would still work. Thereafter, Z Cars was shown in alternating spells of either 2 x 25 minutes episodes or the single 50-minute episode each week over the next sixteen months. This arrangement ended with the showing of the final 2-parter, "Breakage" (Series 6, Parts 74 & 75, 21 & 22 August 1972 respectively), after which the series returned permanently to a regular pattern of 1 x 50-minute episodes per week. [5] The Z-Cars theme tune was arranged by Fritz Spiegl [6] and his then-wife, composer Bridget Fry from the traditional Liverpool folk song "Johnny Todd".

[6] It was released on record in several versions in 1962. Johnny Keating 's version ( Piccadilly Records , 7N.35032) sold the best, reaching #8 on the Record Retailer chart and as high as #5 on some UK charts, whilst the Norrie Paramor Orchestra's version, on Columbia DB 4789, peaked at #33. A vocal version of the theme, using the original ballad's words, was released by cast member James Ellis on Philips Records ; this missed the charts. [7] The song in Spiegl and Fry's arrangement is also used as the anthem for English football club Everton and is played at every home match as they walk onto the pitch at Goodison Park . [8] The tune is also used as the march-on anthem at Watford F.C. home games. [9] After Z-Cars[ edit ] Softly, Softly , a spin-off, focused on the regional crime squad, and ran until 1969, when it was again revised and became Softly, Softly: Taskforce , running until 1976.

The character of Barlow ( Stratford Johns ) was one of the best-known figures in British television in the 1960s and 1970s. He was given several seasons of his own solo series, Barlow at Large (later Barlow ) which ran from 1971 to 1975. Barlow joined Watt ( Frank Windsor ) for the 1973 serial Jack the Ripper . The serial's success led to a further spin-off entitled Second Verdict in which Barlow and Watt looked into unsolved cases and unsafe convictions. Frank Windsor made a final appearance as Watt in the last episode of Z-Cars, "Pressure", in September 1978, with Robins ( John Phillips ), the Detective Chief Superintendent from the original series who had risen to chief constable. Jeremy Kemp , Brian Blessed , Joseph Brady and Colin Welland also appeared, though not as their original characters. Lost episodes[ edit ] Z-Cars is incomplete in the archives. The period 1962–65 is reasonably well represented, though with big gaps. With the 1967–71 sixth series, when the programme was shown almost every week, material becomes more patchy.

Of the 416 episodes made for this series, only 108 survive: a few episodes each from 1967, 1969, and 1970, but there are no surviving episodes at all from either 1968 or 1971. About forty percent of the approximately eight hundred total episodes are preserved. [10] The original series was one of the last British television dramas to be screened as a live production. With videotaping becoming the norm and telerecording a mature method of preserving broadcasts the practice of live broadcasting drama productions was rare by the time the programme began in 1962. Going out "live" was a preference of the series' producer David Rose , who felt it helped immediacy and pace and gave it an "edge". As a result, episodes were still not being pre-recorded as late as 1965. Most were videotaped for a repeat, although the tapes – often a large part of a programmes' budget – were normally wiped for re-use, once the episodes were telerecorded .

Existing on film greatly enhanced the chances of the episodes surviving, especially when monochrome programmes (whether on expensive videotape or cheaper film) were relegated in importance by the advent of colour broadcasting in the UK. [11] [ better source needed ] The telerecording of the first-ever episode was returned to writer Allan Prior in the 1980s by an engineer who had taken it home to preserve it because his children had enjoyed the programme and he could not bring himself to destroy it. This with two other early editions were released on BBC Video in 1993. [12] Two episodes were returned in 2004 after turning up in a private collection. Colour episodes from the early 1970s are less likely to be recovered, as they were never telerecorded for export. [11] [ better source needed ] BBC Archive Treasure Hunt is currently seeking missing episodes. All episodes from the 1975–1978 period are preserved in the archives.

Recognition[ edit ] In a 2000 poll to find the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes of the 20th century conducted by the British Film Institute , Z-Cars was voted 63rd. [13] It was also included in television critic Alison Graham's alphabetical list of 40 "all-time great" TV shows published in Radio Times in August 2003. [14] Original courtesy of Wikipedia: — Please support Wikipedia. This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia . A portion of the proceeds from advertising on Digplanet goes to supporting Wikipedia. We're sorry, but there's no news about "Z-Cars" right now. Limit to books that you can completely read online Include partial books (book previews) Oops, we seem to be having trouble contacting Twitter Support Wikipedia A portion of the proceeds from advertising on Digplanet goes to supporting Wikipedia. Please add your support for Wikipedia! Searchlight Group Digplanet also receives support from Searchlight Group. Visit Searchlight Copyright © 2009-2017 Digparty. All rights reserved.

Question: In the TV cop series 'Z Cars' who played PC Fancy Smith?
Answer: Brian Blessed